


WHY WAS HE ALWAYS TRYING TO RUIN HER LIFE!?

by Fisticuffsandjapery



Category: Never Have I Ever (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23890894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fisticuffsandjapery/pseuds/Fisticuffsandjapery
Summary: ***SPOILERS FOR SEASON 1***Devi and Ben's first interaction after the final episode.Picks up the day after.'Okay, so he admits he might have started having the teensiest crush on her ever since that night at the model UN conference.  But he was never going to do anything about it.  Apart from the two times that he tried to kiss her at his birthday party when he was not as drunk as he said he was.'
Relationships: Devi Vishwakumar/Ben Gross
Comments: 71
Kudos: 478





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS *** SPOILERS *** SPOILERS
> 
> I loved this show for various reasons.
> 
> This is just my take on what I think/hope will happen at the start of season 2

Ben was buzzing with excitement.

Okay, so he can admit he might have started having the teensiest crush on her ever since that night at the model UN conference. But he was never going to do anything about it. Apart from the two times that he tried to kiss her at his birthday party when he was not as drunk as he said he was. But other than that, he was just going to continue to squash his feelings down. Especially when she started crashing at his.

Until _she_ had kissed _him._ Devi Vishwakumar had kissed him. And not by accident. Because after that, she had kissed him some more. A lot more.

But he knew that Devi was a respectable girl. Most of the time. So, he did the gentlemanly thing, and broke up with Shira that very same day. It wasn’t completely disastrous. Shira didn't say much at all, apart from ‘m’kay’. After posting a staged, 'sad selfie', she unfollowed him on Instagram and subsequently, so did half the student body.

He wan't even bummed about it.

Ben lit up even more when he saw Devi by his locker fumbling with her fingers.

“Err…Hey,” Devi said a little awkwardly. She didn’t meet his gaze. She was anxious. Why wouldn’t she be? Ben was.

But in a good way. He was pumped to tell her that he was newly single and ready to start something for real. “I want to tell you something,” he touched her elbow gently to get her to look up.

Devi nodded. “So do I. I’ve been thinking. I’m sorry for kissing you, you’ve got a girlfriend and I shouldn’t have crossed that line, and I’m totally good to go back to being friends. Not that we were friends before, but like we could start being friends now.” She shrugged.

Ben instinctively grabbed her hand. “That’s what I wanted to tell you, I-”

“Hey Lil’ D,” Paxton Hall-Yoshida had the worst timing in the world. And what’s more, Devi dropped his hand like a hot potato.

Okay, that smarted.

Ben tried to pull off his most convincing smile, “Hi, Paxton, we’re kind of in the middle of something, so…” he had to forcibly tried not to grit his teeth.

“Oh, yeah. Cool. Nerd stuff. I get it. See you at lunch, Devi. I’ll save you a seat,” he said with a wink in the most not-so-casual way as he walked off.

Ben focused his gaze on his crush. She had practically swooned. His heart dropped.

“Er…” he couldn’t speak.

Devi gave a nervous laugh before talking really fast. “Funny story. After you dropped me home, Paxton wanted to hang out and obviously I said yes-”

“Obviously,” Ben echoed robotically.

“And...we’re hanging out,” she finished lamely.

“Hanging out?” Ben questioned, even though he knew full well what 'hanging out' meant.

“He said he liked me,” she said wide eyed. “Paxton Hall-Yoshida likes _me_ ,” she pointed at herself in almost disbelief.

Ben wanted to scream out that he liked her too, but he couldn’t. How was he meant to compete with Paxton?

Devi continued. “And you have a girlfriend, so…” she said.

“Right, yep. My girlfriend. Shira. Who’s definitely still my girlfriend,” he rushed out.

Shit.

Fuck.

FUCK!!

“We’re friends, right?” Devi prompted. “Ben?”

How could he say no to her? “Sure,” he said feigning a smile.

She smiled back with a look of relief. “That’s great. I’m glad we cleared that up. I’ll see you in class.”

Ben watched her walk away wondering how on earth he had got it so wrong?

It was back to being the loneliest boy in the world.

* * *

Devi was buzzing with excitement. 

She was sitting next to the hottest guy at Sherman Oaks. She could feel the angry gaze of every other girl at the school on her and she was loving it. Sitting there practically meant they were going steady. She smiled to herself as Paxton and Trent babbled on about baseball. Or was it basketball?

As she searched the room for her friends she smiled even brighter when she saw Fabiola and Eleanor with their beaus. They were all killing it!

But her smile faltered when she saw Ben Gross sitting alone. Ben always sat with Shira and her friends. It was a well-known fact he didn’t have any friends of his own.

She looked away. It could be anything, she told herself. But five minutes later she found herself asking the question out aloud in the most casual tone she could muster. “It’s weird Ben is sitting alone, right? Because he’s meant to be cool by association or whatever.”

Trent answered. “Gross? He’s freaking insane man. He broke up with his hottie and now he’s just back to being full on dweeb.”

Devi was confused. “Broke up?”

Paxton pulled out his phone and scrolled down Shira’s Instagram page before showing Devi. 

The post was from yesterday evening. After Ben had dropped her off at home.

No, this wasn’t happening.

The only reason Devi was in this blissful bubble was because she knew that she couldn’t have hurt Ben’s feelings. Because he had a girlfriend, so the kiss probably meant nothing to him.

Devi was more than mad.

Why the fuck had he broken up with Shira?

Why couldn’t he just let her be happy?

WHY WAS HE ALWAYS TRYING TO RUIN HER LIFE!?

The anger dissipated as she watched him move his peas around his plate.

Shit.

Fuck.

FUCK!!

She needed to talk to him.


	2. Chapter 2

Devi pschyed herself up before she knocked on the door.

Patty answered. “Oh Devi! It’s wonderful to see you! But I have to warn you, Ben’s not in the best mood. I think he and Shira have broken up,” she said in an exaggerated whisper

Devi nodded and smiled. What was she meant to say to that? How was she meant to tell Ben’s house manager that she has kissed him and that’s why he’d broken up with Shira? He was probably wrecked with guilt. She just needed to talk things over with Ben, explain that she would tell Shira it was all some misunderstanding and get them back together.

Simple.

Then she could go back to her happy place with Paxton.

Devi being Devi meant that they was no time for niceties. She barged through Ben's bedroom door. 

“Why wouldn’t you tell me you broken up with Sh- “ Devi stopped mid-sentence.

Ben Gross was standing shirtless in front of her.

Shirtless.

And she hated to admit it, but Ben Gross had been right.

He _was_ jacked.

DAYYYMMMN!

“Erm…” She spun around to face the door, to give him some privacy.

She waited until she felt him tap her on the shoulder.

Ben raised his eyebrows at her. “David, what are you doing here? Besides trying to perv on me.”

“You wish!” Devi retorted. She couldn’t help but feel a little bummed that a signature polo shirt was back on.

“I saw you looking,” Ben smirked.

“No, I wasn’t!” She said a little flustered. Ben crossed his arms over his chest. How had she not noticed how good his arms looked before? She forced herself to look away. “Whatever. You suck.”

“Same to you, Vishwakumar.” Ben paused. “So? Why are you here?”

There was no malice in his voice but the words still hurt. A couple of days ago they were practically living together. She figured the quicker they sorted the Shira thing out, the quicker she could go back to being with Paxton. “Why did you break up with Shira?”

“Because I wanted to?”

“Because we kissed?” she pressed.

It was Ben’s turn to hesitate. “I…I didn’t…It doesn’t matter.“

Devi stepped closer to him. “Because you’re a good guy deep down and you felt guilty that you kissed someone other than your girlfriend. I know.”

Ben was confused. “Wait, what?”

Devi moved closer still trying to be comforting. “It’s okay. I get it. I’m gonna talk to Shira. Clear it up. Say I was out of line, that I jumped you in a moment of insanity and you were completed blindsided. It was totally one sided. She will have to take you back then!”

“Totally one sided…” Ben repeated.

Devi could feel his warm breath on her face as they locked gaze. How had he not noticed how blue his eyes were before? In some lighting Ben Gross could even be considered as passably cute. Thinking about it, if he wanted to kiss her, she wouldn’t say-

What!?

No!

She did not want to kiss Ben Gross. Again.

She wanted to kiss Paxton.

Stupid teenage hormones.

* * *

Ben’s breath hitched, was Devi leaning in a little or was it just his imagination? He told himself it must have been in his head as she suddenly walked herself a few paces back so there would be some distance between them. 

She cleared her throat. “So, Shira? Hit me up with her deets so I can DM and sort this out.”

Ben tried to regain his composure. There was just something about Devi that got him riled up. “That’s a stupid idea. She doesn’t know we kissed.”

“So, I’ll tell her and you can get back together. Problem solved.”

For some crazy reason Ben had still been holding out hope that Devi was here because she had changed her mind. That she wanted to pick him over Paxton. This crush was making him delusional. “You really want me to get back with Shira?”

Devi nodded. “Sure. We’re friends. And your mopey face is hella annoying to look at while I’m eating my lunch.”

Ben cocked his head. “…You were watching me eat lunch?”

“No…”

He grinned, he couldn’t help but flirt a little. “You just said I was moping. How could you have possibly known that if you weren’t looking at me?”

This rattled Devi even more. “Shut up, Gross. Jeez. I’m trying to help your sorry ass so you don’t end up going to the prom alone.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “How kind,” he said sarcastically his mind wondered for a brief moment. The thought of going to the prom with Devi on his arm was ridiculous. She would never go with him.

“GIVE ME SHIRA’S DEETS!”

Ben huffed and shared Shira’s Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok handles. 

Devi gave a small smile and started to leave.

“I guess we’re not going to talk about the kiss then?” Ben tried one last time.

“We just did,” Devi insisted.

“No we didn’t.”

“Ben!“

If Devi wanted him to get back with Shira, he would get back with her, Ben resolved to himself. So what if they had shared an amazing make out session in his dad's Porsche Cayenne? So what if he had felt something that he had never felt before? Maybe he had imagined her expression. Maybe he had imagined her enjoying it as much as he had. If she was happy to forget it, so was he. Without another thought, he answered firmly. “Okay. Fine. I’ll get back with Shira and you keeping hanging with Paxton.”

“Obviously! Because that’s what we both want, right?”

Ben stared at her for a good ten seconds. “Sure,” he said his shoulders slumping slightly.

He leaned against his desk as he watched her leave. 

How had he gotten himself into this mess? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that read, Kudos'd and commented! It got me all inspired to write a bit more.
> 
> How did you like it? Let me know!
> 
> xxx


	3. Chapter 3

Devi had DM’d Shira the day before on all her social media but had got nothing back. 

Then she remembered Shira only associated with hotties and the famous.

So she used an old photo of Kamala and catfished Shira somewhat into thinking Kamala had just moved to the states to start a new life at Sherman Oaks High School with new and vibrant friends.

As predicted, Shira responded and they had arranged a meet at the mall.

Devi admitted that she was somewhat intimidated by Ben’s girlfriend. She was hot and had over six thousand followers on Instagram. She was practically insta-famous. Shira hung out with the cool kids and would be much more suited to dating someone as hot as Paxton H-Y. Devi remembered Ben’s comment about how Shira was only with him for his money. She frowned a little, obviously that wasn’t true. It was something Ben had probably said because he was feeling so bummed that day. Because she had already established that Ben wasn’t half bad looking. And he surprisingly didn’t have a terrible personality either. He did drive her to Malibu and wait for her after all.

Shira was drinking a kale and lime juice when Devi walked up to her at the food court where they had agreed to meet.

“Hey!” Devi said as friendly as she could.

Shira cocked one perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Can I help you?”

“I’m Devi. We both go to the same school,” the Indian girl said, getting her a blank look from the other girl. “I’m friends with Ben.”

“Who?” Shira said taking her phone out of her bag and unlocking it. She couldn’t look more bored if she tried.

Devi was a little insulted on Ben’s behalf. “Your boyfriend?” she said.  
  


“Oh yeah. Yeah, we’re done,” the taller girl said without looking out from her phone.

“I know. But-“ started again.

“Look, _Devon_ , I’m meeting someone, so could you-” Shira wafted her hand in direction of the exit.

“I kissed him,” Devi blurted, ungracefully. It definitely wasn’t have meant to come out like that.

“Kissed who?” said the more glamorous girl, cluelessly.

“BEN!” Devi was getting more annoyed by the second. Why was she working so hard to get them together again? Clearly Shira didn’t deserve Ben. She’d basically forgotten him the moment they had broken up.

“Okay…congrats?”

“No! I’m saying the only reason he broke up with you was because I kissed him. He was so upset for cheating on you that he broke up with you. But you see it wasn’t his fault. So you have to take him back. On account of it not being anything to do with him. Just my confused feelings for Paxton-“ Devi rambled.

'Shira's eyes lit up. “Oh, right…you’re Coyote Girl. You’re Paxon’s project,” she said with some understanding.

Devi unconsciously smoothed down her skirt as Shira eyeballed her up and down. “Well I wouldn’t call myself a project and that’s not why I’m here but-,”

“Ok, I’m listening,” Shira said in her statement Valley Girl accent.

“I’ve finished.” Devi said simply. Why had Ben dated this girl for so long? They were so different. And she didn’t seem to care about him in the slightest. Maybe he did him a favour by kissing him. Maybe Ben was better off without Shira.

But then he would be moping in canteen forever and she couldn’t be dating Paxton guilt free.

It was for Ben’s good really.

Shira rolled her eyes. “Right.”

“So?”

“So what?” The more popular girl prompted.

Devi wanted to shake the girl! “Ben? You gonna give him another chance?”

“I guess his dad has all the right contacts,” Shira contemplated.

“And he’s a pretty great guy,” Devi interjected.

Shira gave her a confused glance before concluding, “My following don’t approve. They think I should be dating someone on Paxton’s level. Maybe Trent.”

“But Ben can help you get into college,” Devi tried a different angle.

“I’ll get a cheerleading scholarship,” Shira said easily.

Devi scoffed and mumbled to herself. “Yeah, like scholarships are that easy.”

“If you think he’s such a great guy, why don’t you date him?” Ben’s ex-girlfriend said.

Devi’s cheeks grew hot and she suddenly felt warm. She cursed to herself for getting so sweaty at a simple suggestion. Stupid Indian genes. “What, that’s so,-what? “ she said agitated. “But I’m dating Paxton,” she said lamely.

Shira smirked. “Oh, are you exclusive? Because I’m sure my followers would love to know that Paxton Hall-Yoshida is taken?”

YES! Devi thought to herself. But she had promised herself that she would never lie about their relationship again. Especially after the whole lying-about-having-sex-with-him thing. Truth was, they hadn’t even kissed again. They’d hung out at mini-golf one time. Sure, they text every day, but who’s to say he wasn’t texting other girls. “No. We aren’t exclusive,” she admitted.

“So date Ben as well," Shira said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I’m sure knowing that he’s competing with Paxton H-Y to be your Bae will do wonders for his profile,” Shira explained. “And then you know, I’ll take him off your hands.”

Devi’s mind was going into overdrive. “Take him off my hands?”

For the first time Shira actually looked excited. Scheming really suited her. “Sure. He’ll have a way better reputation and you get Paxton without looking too thirsty. Which you are. Because let’s face it, every girl in the SolCal area is.”

Devi didn’t know what to say.

She didn’t even know what to think. 

But the more she thought about it, dating Ben as well would show Paxton that she was highly desirable. He was bound to make them exclusive then.

“Err…okay,” Devi Vishwakumar found herself saying.

* * *

“So? Am I back with Shira?” Ben asked, unenthusiastically.

Devi had called him as soon as she had gotten home. She was a little pissed that he was not being more positive. She was going to a lot of effort to help him out. “Not exactly.”

“What does that mean?” Ben asked.

“Err…the thing is. You might wanna sit down…” Devi paused. How was she meant to tell her arch-nemesis, come make out buddy, come friend, what she had planned.

“Yeah, so it looks like you and I are gonna be dating now.”

There was a silence on the other end of the phone before a thud.

Yeah, it didn’t sound as if Ben had taken her advice to sit down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A SCHEME!
> 
> Cooked up by Shira!
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> xxx

**Author's Note:**

> Please review and let me know if you want me to carry on or leave it as a one shot!
> 
> xxx


End file.
